Bryan Cranston says his "John Carter" character is very different from his recent role in "Drive."

In "John Carter," Cranston plays Powell, a Civil War colonel. A 10-minute preview of the film was recently released and in it, Cranston can be seen in Civil War attire trying to convince Carter to join the cavalry in Arizona against the Apaches. The two fight and argue and even get into a chase.

Cranston told OnTheredCarpet.com that his character has "a slight comical turn and it gets Taylor Kitsch character out of Civil War America and on to Mars."

Based on the first novel "Princess of Mars" in the 11-volume book series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, "John Carter" tells the story of a former Confederate captain named John Cater (Taylor Kitsch) who is transported to Mars. Willem Dafoe plays Tars Tarkas, a leader of an alien race and Lynn Collins plays Princess Dejah, Carter's love interest. The book series was, in part, the inspiration for "Star Wars."

"John Carter" is the live-action debut of director and writer Andrew Stanton, who is the mastermind behind Pixar's "WALL-E" and "Finding Nemo." The action film is set to hit theaters in 2D, Digital 3D and IMAX 3D.

Cranston also talked a little about his fascination with traveling to Mars. The actor once starred in the HBO mini-series "From the Earth to the Moon" about the Apollo missions in the 60s and 70s.

"I got to be kind of a mini moon geek at the time," Cranston admitted.

Cranston, known for his roles in "Breaking Bad" and "Malcolm in the Middle," has won three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for "Breaking Bad." He also has an upcoming role in "Rock of Ages," which is set for release on June 1, 2012.

"John Carter" is slated for release on March 9, 2012. Watch the trailer below.

Additional reporting by Tony Cabrera, special correspondent of KABC Television's entertainment show "On The Red Carpet" (check for local TV listings).